To Be A Naturalist
by Inked4Life
Summary: Moira always thought her life lacked something. She never would have counted on it being the one thing she'd been raised to be fear and hate. Vareck/OC
1. Chapter 1

_This story is based on the movie "Skinwalkers". I've decided to embellish on parts that I wanted to and completely go in an opposite direction than what the movie did. I loved most of the characters so some of them will remain but I've added a few of my own. _

_Reviews are always welcome! Thanks for reading_

_~Inked4Life_

* * *

Moira Lynn McRory was not your average girl. She was beautiful, intelligent and she had a secret that would literally kill.

She'd grown up knowing her life as 'cursed'. A cruel mistake of nature that she needed to keep suppressed, hidden, shackled from those who didn't understand. That pretty much meant everyone else. Their kind preferred to stick in close knit communities separated from the rest of the world. They called themselves Humanists because they chose to preserve the human race and shackle themselves when the change happened. The Naturalists were the other end of the race of 'cursed' individuals. They chose to embrace their natural state, to change openly and feed on blood. It was something that once you tasted you could never go back on. Moira had seen a Humanist who'd mistakenly chanced not being shackled and once he'd tasted human blood he had never been the same.

Moira had experienced the change for the first time when she hit puberty. She'd been taken down into the basement of her family's house and there she had been strapped into leather and chained to the wall. It has been a hard transition the first time. She had screamed in agony and thought she was being ripped in half. She remembered very little of being in her alternate form. Her parents told her that it was better this way since it was a darker, evil side.

Moira had gone along with what she'd been raised to know but in no way did she believe it. She hide from her family that she liked turning in the Lycanthrope she was. It was power and she enjoyed having that. She rarely ventured into a human town because it was just easier to be around those like herself, but Moira often wondered what it would be like to walk amongst them and they be completely obviously to the fact that something they thought as merely fantasy and things found in movies was so real they were standing next to it.

So at the age of 25 she was still living in the small town of Hugenot with the rest of her family and kind. She worked at the school in the town teaching to students she had known since birth and who's parents she had gone to school with. She would go home to her small little two bedroom house every night and grade papers. Occasionally she would go out with one of the guys who hadn't mated off with some girl but there was no one special in her life. Her parents were both dead now, having died a few years earlier in a car accident.

She was trapped. Moira felt herself being slowly suffocated and there was nothing she could do about it. She would die in this town having never known any other way of life. Having never done anything reckless and having never experienced true joy.

Moira knew Timothy, she had taught him the year before and she was well aware of the Prophecy that her people believed. It was something they had kept hidden from him and his mother, Rachel, because they knew nothing about them. To Rachel and Timothy, Moira and the rest of the town members were all humans, carrying on normal daily activities.

They had no clue of the danger that they were in. Once the Naturalists found out where Timothy was hiding then there was sure to be a war between the Humanists and Naturalists.

"Moira, what are you still doing here?" Moira looked up from the pile of papers that she was grading. She smiled when she saw her boss, Graham Winters, the principal of the school standing in the doorway of her classroom.

"Time slipped by I guess. I wanted to get some of these graded and well…you know me." Moira said tossing the red Bic pen onto the pile and pushing back in the chair she sat at. Graham chuckled and shook his head.

"Yes I do know you and you better head home. That's an order. Go out, enjoy the weekend, it's Friday for Heaven's sake!" He said. Moira sighed. Yeah, it was Friday. Another long uneventful weekend loomed in front of her.

"Okay, okay, I'm going!" She said holding her hands up. She said goodbye to him and watched him walk down the hall before she began to pack things into her bag. She stuffed the pile of papers she still had to grade in there as well and an extra red pen just in case.

After making sure that everything was taken care in the classroom she flipped the lights off, closed the door and headed outside. She normally walked to the school, when it was warm out and it was a beautiful late spring day. She was walking down the sidewalk, looking at the window displays that she'd pretty much memorized already when she heard the thundering sounds of motorcycles approaching.

The streets were pretty much deserted since it was so close to dinner time. The moon was to be full tonight, the first blood red moon. The same red moon mentioned in the Prophecy. Timothy's 13th birthday was only a couple of days away.

She rounded the corner and ran smack into a solid wall. The impact threw her back and she fell backwards on to her butt. She cried out in pain and then after the shock she looked up in the face of a dark haired man she'd never seen before. He was gorgeous. Longer than normal hair, scruffy facial hair and he wore a denim vest. Moira's breath caught in her lungs and she was frozen. He stared down at her and then sensing something else his gaze was quickly drawn to something across the street.

Moira took in a deep breath and it was then she realized that something was different about him. Well not so much different as she had expected he was a human but she smelled the beast that lay beneath. Where had he come from and what was he doing in the town? Her answer soon came when he started to cross the street and was still intently staring at something she had yet to look at. It was when she craned her neck that she saw Nana and Timothy crossing the street in the opposite direction that she realized what he was doing here. Nana hadn't taken her eyes off the man and her usual smiling face was replaced with a serious one. Moira jumped to her feet leaving her bag where it had fallen and took a few steps in the direction of the center of the bisecting streets.

It happened all at once. Moira wasn't sure who had pulled their gun first but in an instant she was ducking with her hands over head as bullets began to whizz by her. She screamed and looked carefully around to find a safe place to hide. She crawled to the building behind her and then pressed herself tightly into the doorway that was close by. Her heart was pounding fast she felt that she was going to hyperventalate at any moment. She felt slightly revolted that she was excited about that whole ordeal. That is until she saw a friend getting shot and falling to the ground. She screamed and then slammed her hands over her mouth when another man with long hair and a bandana tied around his forehead glanced in her direction.

Moira looked over to where Nana and Timothy had hid behind a postal truck. Nana was leaning slightly on the hood of the vehicle and firing at the handsome stranger Moira and run into just moments ago. The war had finally begun between the Humanists and the Naturalists. Something that they had all feared would happen due to the Prophecy.

More shots rang out and Moira felt helpless hiding in the cut out she occupied. It was when the sound of something smaching through wood that Moira reacted. She moved forward and grabbed her bag. It wasn't much but she carried a knife in the bag. She's always hated guns and even when her parents had insisted she get she had refused. Now she wished she had listened to them.

She fell to her knees and began to began to search in the bag for the knife. Her hand was just about to close around when she was violently yanked by her hair and dragged to her feet. She screamed and reached back to pry the hands that assaulted her from her hair but it was useless.

"Well, well, well. Look's like we've found ourselves a nice little bitch haven't we?" The voice spoke in her ear and she fought the urge to vomit. Sickly sweet breath wafted to her nose, it was a smell that she knew well. Blood.

"Zo, bring her along." She heard the other man order and she was pulled along by her hair. The man who pulled her, Zo, could only be the long haired man with the bandana. As they neared their destination Moira saw the black man and a beautiful dark haired woman. They eyed her with disgust.

"What the hell are we going to do with her?" The woman asked. She moved closer to what Moira soon realized was the Alpha of the group. He cast a look at her that made her heart race faster, then turned his head to the dark headed woman.

"Turn her." Moira started to protest but was quick slapped across the face. She flashed angry eyes at the man who still held her hair prisoner.

"Oohh boy, she's fiesty. I like my bitches fiesty." He said.

Everyone's attention sooned turned to Nana who approached them slowly, the guns shots she received having slowed her down. Moira felt the tears falling from her eyes. She knew what these animals were about to do and she pleaded silently with Nana for forgiveness for not helping. Nana cast her a small smile and shook her head as if telling Moira that she was not to blame.

The exchange was quick and then when she raised her gun after his warning of not to, he fired and she fell to the ground. Moira screamed and tried to break free to run to Nana's side but the brute kept hold of her and then started to laugh.

"Let's go."

* * *

Moira was dragged along and forced to join the band of misfits on their ride to some unknown destination. She felt like she ran on automatic. Her movements were jerky and she felt as if she watched everything from above herself. She knew what was going to happen. They would let her turn unbound and she would feed on blood and become one of them. She'd never in a million years thought something like this would happen.

They walked through a wooded area and she was thrown up against a tree. Her arms were bound by rope around the tree. She could feel the effects of the moon already. Her eyes were becoming sharper in vision and her body was heating up. She felt the familiar burn of the change. She turned her attention to the dark haired man for one last attempt to plead for mercy.

"Please. Don't do this. I don't want to be like you. I don't! Please, kill me instead." She cried. He turned and moved to stand in front of her. He was so close that she could smell him. He smells of musk and soap. She smelled the hint of blood on him and she smelled the dark haired woman on him and she felt herself involuntarily growl low in her throat.

He watched her and smiled when he heard her growl. He studied her face for a moment before letting his eyes rest on her lips.

"You say you don't want this life but I can smell the excitement running through you. Embrace what you truly are and you'll understand the power and the gift that we've been born with." He said. Moira sobbed and lowered her head in defeat.

Slowly she began to feel the shifting and she cried in pain. The others were howling and thrashing around pulling off the extra articles of clothing that would no doubt be torn when they changed. Moira lifted her head to the sky and growled at the red hued moon. She pulled on the rope that bound her arms and her increased strength easily shredded it.

Tonight she would understand exactly what it would be like to be a Skinwalker. Tonight she would embrace that which she was born in just like Vareck said and tonight she would forever be changed. She would no longer be the Moira that lived in Hugenot, was a school teacher and slightly bored Humanist.


	2. Chapter 2

It was the cramping of her muscles that woke her up. She rolled onto her back and stared up at the tree tops covering the clearing she was currently in. She took a few moments to check the status of her body. She felt no different. There was the normal muscle and joint pain that she experienced every time that she had changed. Maybe she hadn't tasted blood. Maybe with any luck at all she had not fed upon a living creature.

Moira raised her hand to push back strands of hair that were covering part of her face and froze when she saw the crimson red staining her hand. Darker red stains were underneath her nails and the smell of the blood seized her nostrils causing her to gasp.

She'd fed. She sat up quickly and moaned when she saw the tatters that her dress was in. Red stains running down the front of it. Her shoes were long gone, kicked off somewhere. She quickly glanced around but saw no one near her. Had they left? Had they forced her to become the monster that she was born to hate and then left her to own devices? Who would take her in? Where would she go? Her life was not the same that it had been just 24 hours ago.

Moira felt the tears sliding down her face but made no attempts to wipe them away. She thought of Nana lying dead on the ground and of the all the friends that she would no longer see in Huguenot. What had happened to Timothy and Rachel? Had Jonas gotten them out okay?

The snapping of a twig had her quickly glancing to her left and she moved to a crouched position, ready to attack whoever came over the small ledge above her. Bits of dirt were kicked and she watched them tumble to the ground and then she heard a low chuckle.

"You're natural instincts. You'll notice things will be different for you now. You're senses are more heightened." Varek stood above her. She frowned and then bared her teeth to him, emitting a low growl.

"Fuck you!" She cried. She lurched to a standing position and then turned and fled in the opposite direction. She skirted past trees and bushes and pushed herself faster. She did seem to be more agile, she thought to herself. She entered a clearing and paused slightly to listen.

She could hear footsteps behind her. She could smell Varek. He was chasing her. She pushed forward and headed for the small river that cut through the landscape not 75 feet in front of her. She didn't make it.

Varek tackled her to the ground and with his superior strength had her on her back with her hands imprisoned in his above her head. They remained motionless for several moments. Their heavy breathing the only sound heard.

In an uncharacteristic move, Moira lifted her head and licked at Varek. He stared down at her, his dark eyes seeming to grow darker. The pressure on her hands decreased and he lowered his head and nuzzled her neck. She arched her back and moaned…or was it a growl? She wasn't sure and she didn't care.

Why was she doing this? He'd forced her to do something that she didn't want. He was a ruthless killer, intent on finding Timothy and killing him for the sake of what? Bloodlust?

Her mind started to scream at her to stop. But her body ran by a different set of rules. His mouth attacked hers and their tongues began a fierce struggle for control. The grip he had on her hands loosened more and she seized the opportunity pulling them free to twist into his hair. He was strong, but she was no weakling. She used her strength and managed to flip them so she was straddling him.

She placed her hands on his chest and looked down at him. He had cocky smirk on his face and she licked her lips as his hands ran up her thighs to clasp her hips. She rocked against him and then in a flash she pushed away and was standing several feet from him.

"I will not submit to you." She said. He sighed and slowly stood up.

"Your loss." He took several steps past her and then stopped. "Come on. We are heading out."

Moira turned slightly and watched him head back to where the others were. She waged a small battle with herself. Stay or go. What were her options? She weighed her options and suddenly her mind cleared – she knew what path she must take. She could never go back to the life she'd had. She was not the same person.

* * *

Moira stepped out of the small boutique that they had come across in the next town. She'd bought herself some clothes to replace the torn rags she had been wearing. The shop owner took one look at her and feared the worst. Moira made up some lie and the woman seemed content with that. Now with a pair of snug low riding jean, a simple white shirt and a black jacket she felt somewhat better. She'd found some black biker boots and with a smirk bought those too.

"Well well. She looks better than that pitiful school teacher outfit she was wearing." Sonja said. Moira looked at her with a frown. Sonja stepped closer. "Just stay the fuck away from Varek. I smelled you on him and that was your one mistake. No more." She said and then pushed past her. Moira rolled her eyes and approached Zo who was sitting on his bike checking her out.

With a new found attitude she never thought she would possess, she arched an eyebrow and did a quick spin.

"How do I look, Zo?" She asked.

"Good. Real good, girl. You'd look even better under me though." She smiled and playfully hit him.

Suddenly a terrible cramp hit her and her doubling over with pain, clutching her stomach. She cried out and sank to her knees. The pain rolled over her again and she looked up to Zo for an explanation.

"It's the blood, sweetie. You've become what you were destined for and your body is making changes. You'll notice other things too. Heightened senses, strength you'd never thought you'd possess. Not to mention a need to fuck, which I am more than willing to help you with."

Moira cried out one more time as the pain hit her again and then she felt it slowly subside. She stood up and held her stomach. She felt a little nausea but that too began to fade only to be replaced with a deep hunger.

"Come on. Let's go." Varek said. Moira took a breath and then climbed onto the back of Zo's bike. She wrapped her arms around his middle and rested her forehead on his back. She had a fleeting memory of Jonas teaching her to ride a dirt bike but she pushed it away. She didn't want to remember her old life. It was painful to think about those she'd come to love and that she'd never see them again. She'd become the monster that they had told her about. If she wasn't careful they might end up killing her.

* * *

They rode for hours. Moira had lost count of them but knew that her ass had fallen asleep about 4 hours ago. She desperately needed to get off the bike but was afraid if she tried to stand her legs would give out on her. She almost cried with relief when Varek steered the group off the rode and down a makeshift path leading into the forest. Apparently hotel's were not something this group used. Moira would certainly miss that comfort.

The sun was beginning it's slow descent and Moira could feel the tug of the moon. She looked up and smiled when she saw the red ball making it's way up. An undeniable desire to hunt washed over her and she could not wait until she changed. Her lust for blood becoming more potent as the night quickly approached. They stopped when the path started to get too difficult for the bikes and one by one they all dismounted. Moira winced when she stood and then shook off the numbness in her legs. She glanced around. She could see nothing but trees. She took a deep breath and gasped.

She smelled life. The animals living in this wooded area were giving off an odor that had her nearly drooling. Blood. She felt her teeth elongate and she closed her eyes enjoying the feeling coming over her. Her body began to heat up and she stripped off the jacket she was wearing. She tossed it on the ground and then went to lean against a nearby tree.

She watched the others as they began to feel the change. They'd been going through the change unbound by leather and chains for so long that it was almost an easy transition for them. They were various states of undress. Varek, Doak and Zo were shirtless and without their boots. Sonja was in a black bikini top and barefoot. Moira looked down at her shirt and realized she'd not thought of what to wear while she was changed. She would have to deal with the lacy white bra underneath for know until she could get something else. Hopefully it wouldn't get ruined.

She pulled the shirt off her body and tossed it down with her jacket and then toed her boots off her. It became harder for her think and she gave it up to instead focus on her transition. She barely remembered her first night and she wanted to try to keep some memories of this night. She was not sure if she could though. Were the Lycan and the Human two seperate entities in her?

She glanced over at the others and smiled with Zo let out a loud howl. She glanced up at the sky again and saw the last traces of the sun's light dip below the horizon. It was time. Instantly her body began the change and she cried out dropping to the ground while it happened. Tonight she hunt again and tonight she would feast on blood that her body craved.


	3. Chapter 3

The hospital was just as the others expected in this section of the state – small and prehistoric. Moira climbed off the back of Zo's bike and stared up at the crumbling cement and felt a wave of panic rush through her. Did Varek expect her to go in there? It looked as though this damn building would fall apart.

"Moira. You go in first. Act…normal," Varek said. Moira frowned at him. How the hell was she supposed to act normal? Hey guys, just out for a drive with some blood thirsty friends of mine, mind if kill we Timothy? She bit her tongue to keep from laughing out loud.

"Try not to blow it," Sonja sneered and Moira flipped her off. She walked up the stairs and through the main door. The receptionist looked up, smiling to her while talking on the phone. Moira cleared her throat and approached. After a few minutes, the woman looked up at her.

"Yes dear?" Moira smiled.

"Hi, could you tell me if Timothy Talbot has been admitted?" The woman nodded and began to click away on her computer's keyboard. A few seconds later, she frowned as she read the screen.

"Let's see…it says he's still in the triage room. That's down the hall and on your right. Look for the nurse's station and they can help you find him." Moira nodded her thanks and made her way down the hall. As she neared the nurse's station she saw Jonas and Katherine standing close together, talking quietly.

Jonas noticed her first since Katherine's back was too her. He gave her a puzzled look and then cautiously pulled Katherine behind him.

"Moira? What are you doing here?" Moira wasn't sure if she could do it, but she decided to give it her best shot.

"I just took off in the direction I saw the truck go." She stepped closer and looked around. "They killed Nana. Just shot her dead!" Moira said and made tears come to her eyes.

Jonas wrapped an arm around her and tucked her head against his shoulder. He soothed her and rubbed her back. "It's okay. Are you with anyone else?" Jonas asked. Moira shook her head.

"I took off as fast as I could, but I gotta tell you that they left before me and they weren't far behind you, Jonas. Have you seen them since?" Moira asked. "How's Timmy?" she asked, congratulating herself on the sincerity of her performance.

"He's fine. Just a bad attack. They're checking him out now and then we're getting back on the road." Moira nodded and made another scan of the room.

"Where do you want me to post up?" she asked figuring it was best to act like the protective watcher than the killer she had become. Jonas looked around and then motioned for Katherine to come forward. Katherine had moved over to the Nurse's station but, at her father's motion, she came over. She smiled at Moira.

"Listen, you two head down the hall, maybe closer to the front. Keep your eyes open. These people are not afraid to do something, even in a hospital in broad daylight." Moira and Katherine nodded and they both made their way to the front entrance.

"How did you manage to get out? How did you get yourself chained up at night?" Katherine asked. Moira bit her lip. Shit, she hadn't thought of that.

"There are some chains in the car. I'd always been told to keep them in the trunk, in case I was caught out at night with no way to get to a safe place. As for getting out, well, I thought for sure I was dead. But then, in the middle of that whole shoot out, I was able to get free and hid in the store." Katherine nodded and looked at Moira. Moira suddenly felt that Katherine would be a problem.

"I don't know, maybe we should watch outside? What do you think?" Moira asked. Katherine looked around and then shrugged.

"Okay, come on," she said. Moira followed her outside. Katherine led the way down the stairs and while she was looking down the hospital's entrance Moira attacked.

"I'm sorry, little Kat, but this is for the betterment of our people," Moira said holding her in a head lock and a knife pressed against her throat.

"You fucking bitch! I knew there was something wrong!" Moira didn't give her much more opportunity to talk. She covered Katherine's mouth, silencing her scream as she slowly dragged the blade across her throat and let her slump down to the ground.

It was amazing watching someone die and Moira took a few minutes to watch Katherine's attempts to stop the bleeding from her wound to speak. Moira was both disgusted and awed by the whole process. She never thought in all her life that she would be capable of such a thing but, evidently, she was. The sense of power that gave her had her adrenaline pumping, and she swiftly turned and headed back into hospital.

When she was back in the front lobby, she spotted Sonja making her way down the hall and Grenier was posted up against a close door, watching Sonja. She didn't see Zo or Varek, but knew they were somewhere close by. She started down the hall and saw Sonja slip into a room. Moira kept walking and began to look in the rooms for Timothy. She found him a few rooms into her search. He was lying on the bed and Rachel was sitting next to him. She closed the door behind her and plastered a smile on her face.

"Ms. McRory! What are you doing here?" Timothy asked. Rachel stood up and had the same puzzled look.

"Well…I had to make sure that you and your mom made it out safely," Moira said coming to stand next to his bed. She ruffled his hair and smiled down at him.

"So wait…are you? Are you one of those…?" Rachel started and Moira realized that Jonas must have explained to her just what they were.

"Yes. And, Timothy, you are a very special boy. So special that we need to move you and keep you safe. Jonas wanted me to have you two meet the truck out back. It's not safe to stay here any longer than necessary." Rachel started to protest and Moira was wondering if she would have to kill her as well but Timothy stepped in.

"Mom, I'm fine. We gotta go. Just come on." With that he was out of the bed and grabbing Moira's hand. She was slightly surprised. This was going to be easier than she had thought.

She opened up the door and when she saw it was all clear she motioned for them to follow and follow quickly. The exit in the back loomed in front of her and she thought for sure they would get out with no one seeing, but then Jonas was suddenly yelling and pulling out a gun.

Moira ducked and grabbed Timothy pulling him with her. Shots rang out and she pressed herself and Timothy against a cut out in the wall. Rachel had ducked into a doorway and was standing there looking at Moira and Timothy.

"Moira?" Moira rolled her eyes at Rachel's sad little face and suddenly wished that she had killed her back in the room. She had no time for Rachel's bullshit. When Timothy struggled against her she roughly held him down.

"Stay still," she yelled and then glanced down the hall. Jonas was looking down at her and then fired off another shot. Moira blocked out the screams of the hospital staff and patients, instead concentrating on how the hell she was going to make the twenty-five feet out the exit door without being shot.

Her answer came when she spotted Grenier closing in on Jonas. Unfortunately, a patient got in the way and Jonas was alerted that danger was closing in behind him and he turned and shot. The bullet ripped through Grenier's chest and knocked him down. Moira gasped and then while Jonas was still turned in the opposite direction she made her move. She'd raced out of the door when she was stopped.

Adam and Doak stood at the bottom of the steps with guns pointed directly at her. She could try to get away but knew she would get shot. Sure, they might get Timothy too, but she didn't want to die. Not now.

"Let him go, Moira," Adam said through clenched teeth. Moira smirked and then stepped to the side, letting go of the hold she had on Timothy. He instantly ran down and hid behind the two men. The doors burst open and Jonas and Rachel came out. They spotted Timothy with Adam and Doak and made their way down pausing to look at Moira.

"What the hell happened to you, Moira?" Rachel asked.

"My eyes were opened," Moira replied calmly.

"You've tasted blood," Jonas stated and Moira rolled her eyes.

"Of course I have, Jonas. I've tasted more than blood. I've discovered my true self. What I really am. I'm not some spineless weakling, who would rather shackle herself to the wall and not experience what we were born to be."

She turned quickly when Zo, Varek and Sonja came out the doors. They all lined up looking down at the target and the individuals that were standing in their way. Moira heard Rachel gasp and looked at her. She had a look of pure disbelief and horror on her face.

"Caleb?" Moira looked at Varek who Rachel was addressing.

"Don't do this, Caleb. He is your son," Jonas pleaded, stepping forward. Moira felt the wind get knocked out her. She could only stare at Varek, an expression of shock and confusion on her face.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Sorry for the delay in posting the next chapter - I had one version and I wasn't happy with the way it turned out. So here is the new improved chapter. Please let me know what you think - I love reviews!**_

_**~Inked4Life  
**_

The realization that Varek was in fact Caleb was a blow to the stomach. Moira took a step back and looked between both Varek and Jonas in confusion. She'd heard the stories, she remembered bits and pieces of Caleb but the years had altered the mental picture she had of him since she was in fact not much older than Timothy when Caleb had…died.

"What the hell?" It was uttered by Zo but thought by them all. Caleb was Varek and he was also the father of the same boy that they were trying to kill. It was too much to comprehend and everyone let their guard down several degrees. Trigger fingers seemed to back off and guns lowered slightly.

"How can you do this? How can you kill your own son?" Jonas asked. Varek seemed to be fighting a huge battle within his self.

"Varek?" Sonja asked. It was too much for Varek and he shouted for her to shut up. The two sides were unsure of what to do next. The Humanists took advantage of the situation and scrambled into the truck. By the time the gang of Naturalists took notice and began to fire the truck was speeding off.

When Varek made no move to chase everyone turned to him.

"Varek, man, come on. They're getting away." Zo said hitting him on the arm. Varek cast his gaze on Zo and nodded slightly. Everyone started down the steps and Varek brought up the back. Moira paused slightly and turned back to Varek.

"Do you…do you remember me at all?" Moira asked. Varek stopped and looked at her. "You taught me how to ride a bike." Moira continued trying to refresh his memory. The memory came rushing back to her and she remembered when she had been younger and getting a brand new bike for Christmas. Her parents had been dead by then and she was being taken care of by her aunt and uncle. She had been too excited to ask them for help and took off down the street only to crash and fall off, skinning her knee. Caleb had seen her fall and ran to help her out. Moira remembered thinking he was like Prince Charming. He'd taken the time to show her how to peddle and to keep her balance. It had taken awhile but he hadn't given up and from the moment on Moira had developed a crush on him.

"That life was long ago. That's not who I am." Varek said and walked off. Moira stood there for a few minutes and tried to process what she was feeling right then.

* * *

Moira rose from the corpse she had been crouched over and licked her lips. The taste of the blood hadn't quenched the thirst but was enough for her to be happy. She stretched her Lycan muscles and growled low in her throat. The camper and his family had chosen the wrong location to set up their campsite. They had been almost too easy to hunt, but Moira was still getting used to her new skin and abilities she'd appreciated the ease of chasing down the teen aged son who'd tried in vain to run away.

The first rip into his throat had released a gush of blood and had overwhelmed her senses and had she wondered if there was anything else that was better. The others had found their own victim and were ripping them apart with great relish.

When Moira could get nothing more from the abused carcass she rose and breathed deeply. She smelled the sickly sweet blood in the air and she almost wished that there was another group of humans nearby. The greed for blood was so overpowering at times that it seemed to control every fiber of her being.

The others finished with their meals and since there was nothing more to do they decided to spend the last few hours of the night running around and stretching their muscles. With an excited howl each one of them ran off seeing who could best the next.

* * *

Moira stretched lazily and slowly pushed herself into a seated position on the forest floor where she had eventually fallen into a deep sleep. She ran a hand through her hair and grimaced when she encountered a large tangle of twigs and leaves in her hair. Sighing she jumped up and walked over to the parked bikes and dug around in a saddle bag looking for a hairbrush. Finding only a comb she began to work it through her hair. It wasn't working so well so she headed off to the stream that she could hear running not too far from them.

She wasn't the only one there unfortunately and she stopped and debated whether or not to turn around but in the end vanity won out and she pushed forward and stopped next to Varek. He was shirtless and Moira couldn't help but to take a few moments and admire the muscles rippling with every movement he made. He was washing some blood that remained on his skin and doing his best to wash up.

When he turned and arched an eyebrow at Moira she couldn't help the slight blush that colored her cheeks. She mentally punched herself and then crouched down to cup some water into her hand and bring it to her face. It was cold and she gasped but welcomed the shock since it helped to waken her more. She then began to work on getting her hair as wet as possible and when she was satisfied that it was good enough she began to comb the mess into something workable.

"You seemed to enjoy yourself last night. The last lingering doubts you had had seemed to have vanish." Varek said and Moira looked up at him.

"I guess that I've accepted what I am. I do enjoy it, I can't deny that. Ask me if I would have ever thought I would and I would have said no, but now…well it's…addicting." Moira answered and sat back to look up at Varek. He was still shirtless and Moira felt her stomach pitch slightly at the expanse of his chest and the way he looked good enough to eat. Moira winced at the terrible analogy that went through her head.

"Varek." They both turned when they heard Sonja call to him. She stood several feet behind them and the expression on her face spoke volumes as to what she was feeling seeing the two of them together. She stepped forward and slunk her arms around Varek and gave Moira an eat shit look. Moira rolled her eyes and pushed herself up into a standing position. As good as Varek looked and the obvious attraction she felt for him, she wasn't sure if she really wanted to tangle with Sonja. She was still getting used to her new self and she wasn't sure how a fight between the two of them would turn out.

"Ready to go?" Varek asked Sonja and she turned her head up to him and nodded. She then pulled his head down and latched her mouth to his. Moira balled her hands into fists and turned sharply. She wasn't going to stand there and watch Sonja stick her tongue down Varek's throat so she started off back into the woods.

"Let Zo know we are leaving." Varek called and Moira raised a hand in acknowledgment. When she caught up with Zo she relayed to him what Varek had said. Zo wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer.

"Well since it's just the four of I guess that makes you my girl." Zo said. Moira laughed and shoved him away. She was beginning to warm to Zo's constant attempts at getting into her pants. While there was no chance in hell that it would ever happen, it was nice to have someone to joke around with.

"Not even if you were the last Lycan on the face of the earth." Moira said and smiled. Zo placed a hand over his heart and pretended to be wounded.

"You slay me with your refusal…but I will keep that in mind and cash in when it's just me and you, baby." He replied and they both laughed.


End file.
